


I'm not "supposed" to be anything

by autistic_zombie_boy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dadan is Ace's adopted mom/aunt figure and Jinbe is Koala's adopted dad/uncle figure, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts, Trans Character, Trans Koala, Trans Portgas D. Ace, again projecting, autistic koala, autistic portgas d. ace, but that isnt relevant to the plot i just want yall to know i had that in mind when writing, demi boy luffy, idk what type of au this is but it isnt canonverse but they got devils fruits still, its only mentioned but just wanted to clarify that, luffy uses they/them pronouns here and is called brother, mentions of dysphoria, mentions of transphobia, nonbinary Luffy, only mentioned in passing and really minor but jic, well hopefully?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:36:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28662579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autistic_zombie_boy/pseuds/autistic_zombie_boy
Summary: Ace and Koala lovingly bully Sabo and discuss some of their trans experience over lunch together.Title is from the song "I'm Not "Supposed" To Be Anything" by She/Her/Hers
Relationships: Koala & Portgas D. Ace, Koala & Sabo & Portgas d. Ace & Monkey D. Luffy, Koala/Sabo (One Piece), Monkey D. Luffy & Portgas D. Ace & Sabo
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	I'm not "supposed" to be anything

**Author's Note:**

> i've wanted to do a trans Ace and Koala solidarity fic for a while and I finally finished it!!! woohoo!!! and note, I am a trans man soooo i projected a lot of Ace's experience from my own, but I uh, didn't wanna go too indepth on Koala incase I was insensitive or somethng,,, But i do wanna write more for them
> 
> sorry if its mildly all over the place, i didnt edit and i have lots of thoughts jhsdfahjkllfdf
> 
> anyways!!! hope yall enjoy!!! XD

There are few things better than bullying your brother.

One of those things is bullying your brother with the help of his own girlfriend.

“I can’t believe it,” Sabo groaned, his face in his hands, “My own girlfriend _and_ my brother are ganging up on me.”

“Hey, it ain’t our fault you don’t know how t’ react like a person to someone coming out.” Ace smirked over the top of his iced refresher, he’d brought lunch home for the four of them and they were killing some time until Luffy came home from classes, “ _Oh! I’m a boy too! But you like, different from you. But not really!_ ”

“ _I was twelve!_ How was I supposed to react?” Sabo pleaded, face growing redder by the second.

“ _Oh my brother is trans too! But opposite ‘cause he’s a guy… unless you’re a guy and I got it wrong? You are a girl, right?_ ” Koala quoted with a smirk.

Sabo cringed and flushed further, “Okay, yeah that was awkward…”

They were just teasing him, but Sabo sometimes regretted introducing his girlfriend to his brother with how much material they both had to tease him with. At least they got along.

“It was, but it was pretty sweet so you get pints for that,” Koala gave him a consoling, slightly condescending pat on the shoulder.

“Yeah, all things considered there are worse reactions.” Ace agreed, remembering some of the worse reactions he had with a wince, but then smirked, “but it _was_ really funny.”

“Oh yeah, and we’ll tease you forever for it,” Koala nodded but offered a sip of her drink as Ace half of his own Cuban and Sabo accepted both with a good natured sigh.

Ace-- and Koala too for that matter, yet another thing they had bonded over along with being trans solidarity and adopted kid solidarity-- struggled to read body language but after being Sabo’s sworn brother for over a decade he knew Sabo’s emotions better than his own at times and that was the only reason he continued to tease him. And it wasn’t like they could tease Luffy about this, considering their reaction was to say; _“That's why you don’t have a penis! Just like Dragon-dad!”_ and Luffy was also immune to the feeling of embarrassment for moments like that.

“Guess I deserve it then,” Sabo said, taking a bite of the sandwich.

“So,” Koala changed gears, “Sabo said you were thinking about top surgery again? Any plans?”

Ace hummed and nodded, “Yeah, I’m thinkin’ ‘bout it, but I’m not sure yet…Pops, well he made an offer to cover the costs the other day ‘nd there’s a good doct’r he knows which got me think’ more ‘nd weighing my choices. On one hand, not havin’ t’ wear a binder any more sounds fuckin’ great,” he was ignoring the fact that he wasn’t currently wearing a binder-- or a shirt actually-- but he wore one for work most days and it was a pain even though he didn’t really have too, “but on the other… takin’ off time f’r surgery sounds so annoyin’. I mean, Pops would give me all the time I need no hesitation but like, do I wanna and is it really worth it?”

“I know what you mean,” Koala nodded, “I know I would get time off for surgery and recovery but taking time off sounds like a pain.”

“Also, I don’ know if I want t’ anymore, ya know?” Ace continued, “Like, after going on T and ben’ on it ‘nd passing f’r a while I just, don’t see the point? A couple ‘f years ago I woulda jumped at the chance but talkin’ with Yamato and stuff has… I dunno, ya know? I ain’t the same semi-suicidal kid I was ‘nd I ain’t dealing with the same doubt ‘nymore.”

“Mmhmm, yea, I get what you mean.” Koala agreed, “sometimes I feel like I only want surgery because it's what I’m _‘supposed’_ to do, when I don’t know how helpful it would actually be for me.”

“‘Xactly! Like do I want it ‘r am I expected t’ want it? ‘Nd ya know how bad I am at meet expectations.” Ace glanced at the door as he spoke, hearing Luffy unlocking it but not bothering to get up.

“Oh I know,” Koala said dryly, “All three of you defy all expectations _and_ logic.”

“Hell yeah! I’m home!” was all the warning they got before Ace had to brace himself for his brother barreling into him. “AH!! You guys started without me?! Koala too?!” 

Luffy sounded absolutely offended, pouting to a ridiculous degree.

“Sorry Luffy-”

“Yea, no shit we started without ya! Y’re late!” Ace shoved his brother, “And get off’a me!”

Luffy tried to make a grab for Ace’s lunch but Sabo intercepted it and pushed Luffy’s lunch into their hand, and after a little more shoving and light punches, they got back settled down. Luffy already halfway through their first sandwich.

“Nii, what were you guys talkin’ about?” Luffy asked with a head tilt.

“Bullyin’ Sabo ‘nd bein’ trans,” Ace answered.

“Sabo is cis,” Luffy nodded, “and we’re not.”

“Betrayal.” Sabo deadpanned and blocked Luffy from stealing any of his food.

“But Ace, that reminds me,” Koala turned back to Ace, “You went on hormones six years ago, right?”

“Yea, at sixteen,” Ace confirmed, “You?”

“Sixteen too!” Koala smiled, “So, how crazy did you drive yourself looking for changes?”

Ace laughed, “fuckin’ nuts, Dadan had’ta tell me t’ calm down cause I was checkin’ f’r changes ev’ry day in the mirror and takin’ videos daily ta see when my voice would drop. Helped me start weekly vlogs instead.”

“Jinbe did the same thing, sorta,” Koala said fondly, “He said changes wouldn’t happen drastically in a short period of time and I’d just make myself feel worse.”

“Yup, but lookin’ at it week-by-week made it easier t’ see changes. Cause I was really trying to see changes right after my first shot.” Ace was smiling at the memory, “Which, ain’t possible. The changes ain’t instant.”

“Nii,” Luffy paused their wrestling with Sabo to blink at Ace, “I noticed a change in Ace right away!”

Ace just raised a skeptical eyebrow, wondering just _what_ was gonna come out of Luffy’s mouth. “Really now? What change exactly did’ya notice?”

“Ace was a lot happier and started smiling more!” Luffy said without hesitation, smiling wide, “I think that was my favorite change!”

Ace made a choked off noise before immediately putting Luffy into a headlock, ignoring their startled protesting.

“ACE!”

“Ya little shit,” Ace ground his knuckles into the top of Luffy’s head, “ya can’t just say shit like that!”

“Why not! It's true!” Luffy was struggling to get away and eventually Ace released them. Luffy practically hiding behind Sabo and Ace fuming with embarrassment as he dropped back in his seat and angrily took a bite of food. “I think Ace being happy is the best part!”

“I don’t care if it’s true or not!” Ace snapped, his face colored red, “‘ts embarrassing to hear that shit.”

“I dunno,” Sabo said, ignoring the glare Ace shot at him and the way Koala covered her mouth to stop from laughing, “I think Luffy may be right, Ace. That might be my favorite change too.”

“‘Mma gut you cis boy,” Ace growled, face getting redder. But no matter how much he tried to fight it, he couldn’t stop the smile cracking through his glare, he was too fond of his brothers. “But… I think ‘ agree with ya…”

Koala nodded, “I think you might be right.”

There are few things better than bullying your brothers. But there are better things.

Like moments when Ace was so full of love for those in his life that he couldn’t properly express it, when he was so happy and comfortable with who he had grown up to be. 

He was proud he lived to see these moments.

**Author's Note:**

> if anyone wants to reach me for more, my main blog is [autpunk-arsonist](autpunk-arsonist.tumblr.com/)
> 
> and my art/writing here [autpunk-artist](autpunk-artist.tumblr.com/)
> 
> nnyways!!! hope yall liked it!!! hope everyone is staying safe!!! until next fic!!!


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